


Lost One's Weeping

by FandomLastsForever



Series: RWBY Rarepair Week! [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: First Meetings, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Canon, Skipping Class, Team Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-31 03:05:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12123162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomLastsForever/pseuds/FandomLastsForever
Summary: Ozpin is a model student that doesn't really have anyone in their life and is constantly left behind by their own team. Deciding they're tired of being alone, they decide to try and befriend the truant that sits on top of Beacon tower.





	Lost One's Weeping

**Author's Note:**

> Beacon Day for RWBY Rarepair week!

Ozpin had been at Beacon for almost a year and a half now. Every morning started with a quick shower and a piece of toast. During the day they'd attend class, taking notes on anything and everything. At lunch, just a sandwich while they did their homework. At night, an instant noodle while completing the rest of their team's work while they enjoyed whatever adventure they left for without them.

Their team wasn't a team. It was just a group of people with a someone designated to take the brunt of everything.

Ozpin didn't have any friends outside of the teaching staff either. They weren't very well liked by their peers. To them, they were a strange person. A model student with an uncanny aura about them. Ozpin was usually avoided because of this.

They didn't mind not having friends though. It made it easier to focus on themself and their studies.

At least, as much as they could when their attention wasn't drawn to their chronic nightmares.

And as much as they didn't mind not having friends, they still wanted someone they could turn to when they were feeling lonely.

And so Ozpin made a plan to try and make a friend. There was a boy one grade below them that wasn't exactly fitting in either. He spent every few days watching everyone from the top of Beacon tower, like a hawk. They had worn the wrong uniform on the first day, but managed to roll with it and had everyone laughing along with him. He seemed like a good person to try and befriend.

So one day, after purchasing a gift for the underclassman, Ozpin decided to skip class for the first time.

 

* * *

 

 

It was his first year at Beacon, and Qrow Branwen skipped on yet another day of class.

From his perch on top of Beacon tower, he watched as students hurried back and forth trying to get to class. The teacher's assistant (Port, he reminded himself) ran about trying to catch troublemakers and attempted truants. Upperclassmen were showing off their muscles, weapons, and battle attire to the freshmen, including the blond asshat that had ended up being on his "team". And there was the group of girls who were chasing him, asking if he'd want to go out for a movie.

Watching them pissed him off.

 _What a bunch of bozos,_ he thought. _Acting like there's not a walking embodiment of evil every ten steps outside the kingdom walls._

Qrow didn't understand what was so important about going to all these classes. He understood the combat and weaponry courses just fine. But what the hell was with Language Arts? He didn't understand why it was so important to read up on some random asshole's interpretation on 'The Girl in the Tower' and where it originated from. And he didn't want to even try to attempt at figuring out what was going on with history.

_And that damned career goals assignment._

He didn't really care, though. He was only going to be there for a short time. Maybe a year at the most, just to get the basics on how to interact with the people of the kingdoms. It'd make it easier to blend in. Easier to find places worth raiding.

However, as much as he didn't want to be at Beacon, he didn't want to return to the tribe either. Going back meant never settling down. Never finding a place to call home. Never being able to be accepted as anything other than a bad omen.

As if his little trick could let him have such things.

He pulled his knees to his chest and closed his eyes, hoping he'd fall asleep for a thousand years.

**_"You come up here often?"_ **

Qrow looked up, startled to see one of the upper grade students sitting on his left. They had long silver hair in a braid over their shoulder, soft brown eyes that poked out from a pair of dark glasses, and a long green scarf that wrapped tightly around their neck and the silver handle of a cane hanging from a sling on their belt. In their hand was a brand new red cape, folded nicely into a roll. Qrow had to admit, they were rather attractive. But he felt he knew them from somewhere.

_Where have I seen this weirdo before?_

"Who the fuck are you?" Qrow spat.

"Ozpin Pine," they introduced, holding a hand out to him. "Leader of team OLVE. I'm a second year."

Qrow narrowed his eyes as he remembered the name. "Weren't you the one who helped with that whole "landing strategy" bullshit on day one?"

"That was me," they chuckled. "And you are?"

"Name's Qrow. Qrow Branwen."

"Qrow Branwen..." Ozpin leaned back, gazing at the sky as they hummed contently. "That's a rather lovely name..."

_'Lovely'? My name isn't lovely._

"What are you playing at?"

Ozpin raised a brow, honestly perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb," Qrow hissed. "Crows are a sign of bad luck. There's nothing 'lovely' about it!"

"Really? I always thought they were messengers of the Gods."

Qrow stared at him in confusion, the nagging feeling in his gut telling him to fly away. Ozpin wouldn't stop staring at him, their eyes heavy with something he couldn't quite place. Something ancient. Something terrifying.

Something otherworldly.

"Tell me, Qrow," Ozpin said calmly. "What's your favorite fairytale?"

"Don't have one...Though we're covering "The Girl in the Tower" right now..." Qrow didn't know what it was, but something made him feel compelled to answer.

Was it the look in their eyes? The demeanor they gave off?

Or was it something else entirely?

"That's an excellent story," they hummed. "I used to be partial to the Story of the Seasons myself, though lately I've been growing fond of a little known one called 'Lost King's Treasure'. You should check it out." They stood up straight, adjusting their uniform and holding out the cape to him. "Here, you can have it. Red doesn't look good on me anyway."

"Uh...thanks." Qrow gently took the cape from them, his ears burning slightly when their fingers brushed slightly.

"Well," they sighed. "I better get going. I have to head to class before my team gets there. We have a sparring session."

They walked toward the edge, smiling mischievously. "I hope to speak with you again soon."

With a slight spin, they jumped off the edge.

**_"WAIT!"_   **

Qrow reached out to grab hold of the scarf. Just as the feather soft fabric touched his skin, Ozpin vanished into a bolt of lightning, emerald as the forests. He glanced at the ground and spotted them walking toward one of the annex buildings. He looked at the cape in his hands, brow pinched as he tried to process what just happened.

 _What the hell is up with them?_ he wondered. _Why did they just show up here? What the fuck did they want with me? And why did they want to know my favorite fairytale?_

Qrow stood up, unfolding the cape and throwing it around his shoulders, pinning it to his outer jacket. It felt rather warm around his shoulders. Like a tender hug.

"Maybe I'll do some looking into this Ozpin fellow...And I'll start with the fairytale."

 

* * *

 

 

Trying to connect with Qrow didn't go as well as they had hoped. They weren't expecting him to be so angry. The first day they seemed so laid back. Something must have been bothering them. But as for what, Ozpin didn't know.

Classes had started already by the time they arrived at the dorms. They knew there was no way they'd be able to sneak in and make it seem like they'd already been there for history. And to be quite frank, they didn't want to go to class.

Going to class meant taking notes and doing other's work.

For once, they wanted a day off.

Ozpin swung by their dorm room first, dropping off their bag and changing into more comfortable shoes. They looked around, taking in the sight of their toppled over laundry pile and rickety desk with a leg propped up by books.

_Thank goodness I sprung for those dumb romance novels._

Ozpin turned to leave, only to stop and look over at their team's side of the room. They weren't allowed to touch anything on their side of the room. If they did, the others would be angry at them.

But something in the back of Oz's mind told them to do it.

Steeling themself, they went over to the mini fridge and swiped the last bottle of "People Like Grapes" soda before hurrying outside to the back. There was a tree they loved to climb from time to time, and it made the perfect place to enjoy a drink.

_I'll enjoy it and spend the day sitting in the tree. It'll be a nice change of pace._

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn't hard to find the story Ozpin said was their favorite. At least, Qrow didn't think it was hard to find. With such an obscure title, most people wouldn't think it'd be in the library at all. But after a quick skim of the fantasy section, he found the book he was looking for near the historical fiction. Without bothering to swing by the checkout desk, he slipped it into his bag and hurried off to the dorms.

_Everyone else is still in class. That means the room will be empty._

Sure enough when he arrived, no one was there. Qrow sat down on the edge of his bed, throwing his shoes and jacket onto the nearby desk before laying back with the book of fairytales. Many of them were more common in Remnant and could easily be heard at any camp. But most were stories he'd never heard of before. Most likely they were long forgotten.

"Let's see," he muttered, flicking through the pages until he found what he was looking for. Since there was no one around, he decided to read it aloud.

 _"Deep in the forests of Remnant,"_ he read, _"there once was a lonely traveler who carried with him no money, no wares, and no food."_

As Qrow went on through the tale, the traveler met many people along their way. A man who raised dragons, who bestowed upon him wisdom. A witch who taught magic, and an alchemist who repaired broken tin soldiers. Both of them gave him insight into the people around them. A paladin, who taught the traveler to fight. A man with a tail who had the ability to shapeshift into a lion, and a farmer who provided him with food and a few silver coins.

But the most interesting was the companions he encountered near an old mountain at the start of his journey. A pair of blackbirds, known as Braith and Davin. The two of them agreed to join the traveler in exchange for his silver coins. The moment Davin took the bag that contained the coins, he flew away, never to be seen again. Braith kept his word, and remained the traveler's loyal companion for many years.

When they arrived to the traveler's homeland, his hometown was deep in the midst of a war. An archer mistook the traveler for a soldier and attempted to strike him down with an arrow. Braith flew before the traveler in its path, and was killed instantly. As the traveler wept over his friend, one of the soldier's recognized the traveler as the King's son and he was returned to the castle.

Braith was buried on the castle grounds, and the traveler, now the King of the land, visited the grave every day. One day, he arrived at the grave and discovered a scepter with a silver handle, along with a note that said _'Your companionship was worth more than any silver coin, my friend.'_

"What a weird story," Qrow grumbled. He closed the book and set it on the nightstand, sitting up to stretch, only for a flash to catch his eye. Curious, he followed it toward the window.

There lay Ozpin, in the tree just outside, deep in slumber. How they climbed up there and why they even were there weren't what concerned him. The fact that they were right outside his window was.

 _Okay, that's a lie,_ he thought. _No one should sleep in a tree if they can avoid it._ Thanking the Gods for letting the branch be so close, he gently pulled Ozpin into the window and carried them over to the bed before tucking them in. He made sure to set their glasses and scarf on the nightstand.

_What am I doing? They're a second year. I shouldn't be tucking them into my bed._

But something about them was drawing Qrow to them. He couldn't quite place it, but there was something special about this person. They weren't just another Hunter in training. He wanted to know more about them.

_Maybe I should search their dorm room._

But he couldn't just leave them there in the room. Not with his teammates possibly coming back before they had the chance to wake up.

_At least, I can't without leaving a note._

Being as quiet as possible, Qrow tiptoed to his bag and pulled out two pieces of paper and a pen. He wrote a note addressed to his team leader, a silver eyed shorty named Summer, to let her know that Oz was asleep in the room. The other he left for Ozpin, telling them to relax as long as they wanted, and to help themself to the snacks in the drawer. Once he was satisfied, he grabbed his jacket and shoes, adjusting the cape in the mirror before heading out.

_Let's solve a mystery._

 

* * *

 

 

The state of the OLVE dorm had Qrow on the verge of tears.

Three of the beds were in clean, pristine condition with blankets and sheets of various shades of grey. There were extra personal desks that were well organized with nice figurines, tools, and magazines. The uniforms were hung nicely over the beds, seemingly never been worn. There was even a mini fridge and, if he had to guess, a microwave oven.

But in the corner of the room was another bed, only this one had an emerald set of bed sheets. The desk nearby was all scratched up, with one side being propped up with what looked like a stack of dime store romance novels because the legs were too short. Instead of being hung up, all the clothes that must have belonged to Ozpin were strewn about on the floor with fresh footprints.

Hesitantly, Qrow wandered over to the desk, opening the drawers and looking through them until he found a small leather journal with a golden gear on the cover. Thinking it was a diary, Qrow sat on the bed and began to skim through it. Inside were photographs of other students, each labeled with their names and the team name. ONYX, ORCD, and OCEN. On each team, Oz had been appointed team leader. Some of the teammates dropped out when they realized this wasn't the profession for them, while others transferred to one of the other academies for personal matters, mostly family related. One of the teammates was still in the hospital recovering from an encounter with a Deathstalker.

There was no photograph of team OLVE. Understandably so, as Qrow read about how they skipped class to go to town and stayed out late picking on others.

When they weren't tormenting Ozpin that is.

Ozpin suffered from frequent nightmares it seemed, always of the same thing. A woman with long white hair and black veins over bone white skin who wanted to watch them burn. Their team would throw whatever was nearby to shut them up if they woke up screaming, usually throwing a pillow. They made them do all the homework since they were all in the same classes. And whenever it came to team exams, they'd always try to get Ozpin to take the hit.

There was more. Far more. But Qrow couldn't bring himself to keep reading. He felt as if he would puke if he did.

 _How can they put up with this?_ he thought. _How can the school be letting this happen?_ Qrow's entire body seethed with anger as he looked around, trying to resist the urge to destroy everything on the other side of the room.

_This has to stop._

Qrow pulled out his scroll and began taking pictures of the room before hopping out the window and pulling out his scroll. He pressed the first person listed in his contacts, and waited.

 _"What do you want?"_ came an annoyed groan.

"Hello to you too, Rae," he sighed. "Are the other two there?"

_"Summer and Tai? Yeah, they're here. And they're not too happy about you leaving some stranger-"_

"I need your guys' help with something. Can you all meet me at the elevator to the headmaster's office?"

_"Why?"_

"We're going to have a bit of fun."

There was a long pause, and with every passing second, Qrow felt his heart rate increase.

_"...What exactly did you have in mind?"_

 

* * *

 

 

It was well after sundown when Ozpin finally awoke from a restless dream. They had been having the same one every night for the past six months. It made keeping up in their studies rather difficult. And they didn't even want to think of the detriment it was having to their already uncooperative team.

 _I should get back. They'll be wondering what happened. T_ hey let out a snicker, remembering why they skipped class in the first place that day. Their team didn't care.

That was fine. They'd gotten used to it.

**_"You're awake."_ **

Ozpin looked up and saw the red eyes of Qrow staring down at them. The underclassman had a heavy look on his face, as though he'd done something wrong. They sat up, trying to play off the fear that was still pulsing through their veins.

It was only then that Ozpin even realized they weren't in their own room.

"I am," they said. "I'm sorry for taking over the bed."

"'s fine," Qrow shrugged. "You'll be sleeping in this bed until your new team arrives anyway. Might as well enjoy it."

"What? New team?" Ozpin looked the young man over, taking notice of the cape pinned to his shoulders. They hadn't expected them to wear it. They also had a book in their hands with a withered spine, as well as a very familiar journal.

"I'm sorry," Qrow mumbled, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I got curious and went to your dorm. My team is gathering your things as we speak."

Ozpin swiped the journal and held it close, biting their lip. No one was supposed to know what was going on. They were fine. They were always fine. They had to be. This wasn't anyone's problem.

"Why did you do that?" they asked softly.

Qrow handed them the book, smiling fondly. "Consider the cape your silver coins."

Ozpin stared at them, trying to figure out what Qrow was talking about. What was this about a new team? And why were they staying in Qrow's dorm?

_And why the story reference?_

"I gotta ask," Qrow started. "Why didn't you tell anyone about things going on with your team? I mean, STRQ doesn't get along either, but...this is some pretty messed up shit you've been putting yourself through."

Ozpin curled in on themself, trying to avoid eye contact. "I'm the team leader. If I can't handle that job, I can't be a Hunter."

"No offense Oz, but you can't exactly lead a team if they're using you like a scapegoat. You should have spoken up and gotten that situated before trying to talk to me."

"I suppose..."

"Why'd you try to talk to me anyway?" Qrow leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. "I ain't exactly a model student, you know. You could do so much better."

"I don't know," they shrugged. "I suppose...I was lonely, and wanted someone to talk to..."

"I see..."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Qrow began to flip through the book of fairytales. Oz could feel their heart racing.

_Say something to him!_

"So," Oz whispered. "You like the cape?"

_You idiot._

Qrow smirked, letting out a throaty chuckle that sent a chill up Ozpin's spine. "It's rather nice. And warm too. Much better than what I had back on Anima."

Ozpin slowly started to relax . "You're from the East?"

"Yeah," Qrow said. "Don't expect too much detail. We're not quite that close yet."

"That's fair." Ozpin slowly uncurled themself and lay down beside Qrow, glancing at the book. "So your team is bringing my things here?"

"Yep," he said with a pop. "Summer's idea. Amazingly the others were totally cool with it. This is the first time I've seen us work together." He looked over at Oz, smiling fondly. "You wanna read until they get here?"

Ozpin smiled and snuggled close as Qrow turned to "Lost King's Treasure".

 

* * *

 

 

It wasn't until late into the evening by the time the rest of team STRQ arrived back at their dorm. They'd managed to carry all of Ozpin's possessions up to their floor, setting them along the wall as Summer went to try and unlock the door.

 ** _"How does someone have so many books?!"_** Taiyang groaned. "No one needs that many books!"

"Quit complaining Tai-Tai," Raven spat.

"Please don't call me that."

Summer held a finger to her lips and glared at her team, silver eyes glowing in the dim night light. "Shut up. We don't know if Ozpin's awake or not."

"Sorry," Tai whispered.

"I'm still mad I didn't get to kick some ass," Raven grumbled. "That Lemongrass guy really pissed me off."

"We got a mini fridge, though. That's gotta be better than beating up a few assholes."

Summer quietly opened the door and did her best to hold back a giggle. "Look over there. Isn't that adorable?"

All of them gathered by the door and peered in to see what had their leader so pleased. On the bed closest to the closet, Ozpin and Qrow were curled up together. Both of them had fallen asleep from reading together on Qrow's bed.

"Okay," Raven sighed. "I'll admit, that's kind of cute."

"Should we wake them?" Taiyang asked.

"No," Summer said. "Let them sleep."

The three of them silently tip toed in. Raven took the book from Qrow's limp hand while Summer and Taiyang grabbed one of the spare blankets and tucked the two of them in.

"How much you want to bet," Tai whispered, "that Qrow will be very upset when Ozpin moves into their new dorm with their new team?"

"He'll be a mess," Raven snickered. "Though if I know him, he'll ask them out for coffee before the end of the week."

Summer rolled her eyes and began to push the other three beds together, glad that the carpet made it relatively quiet. "Well, until then, let's make sure Ozpin feels welcome, okay?"

Taiyang and Raven nodded in agreement, and the three of them hurried off to bed, careful not to wake their new friend.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
